Tsukioka Yoshitoshi — Yakusha-e Kabuki Actor Woodblock Print (Meiji Era)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi — Yakusha-e Kabuki Actor Woodblock Print (Meiji Era)
An original woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892) — widely recognized as the last great master of ukiyo-e. This yakusha-e (kabuki actor print) comes from Yoshitoshi's late career, when he almost single-handedly pushed traditional Japanese woodblock to new heights of artistic and emotional depth even as Western photography and lithography threatened to displace the medium. Yoshitoshi's signature on a kabuki actor print is one of the most desirable signatures in all of Japanese print collecting.
Original Meiji-period color woodblock print on Japanese paper. Signed Yoshitoshi.
About Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892)
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi is widely recognized as the last great master of ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock printing. Apprenticed at age eleven to Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the great masters of the medium, he produced his first print at 14 and went on to create thousands of designs for more than 50 publishers over a career spanning the Edo-to-Meiji transition. An 1885 issue of Tokyo Hayari Hosomiki ranked him the number-one ukiyo-e artist in Japan.
About the Work
Yoshitoshi's celebrated series include One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885–1892, 100 prints), New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts (1889–1892), Thirty-Two Aspects of Customs and Manners (1888), and many yakusha-e (kabuki actor) and musha-e (warrior) series. His work bridged traditional woodblock printing and the emotional/psychological depth of modern Japanese art — and the medium effectively died with him in 1892.
Scarcity & Market Context
Yoshitoshi prints have seen a strong resurgence in the global market since the 1990s; premier examples from One Hundred Aspects of the Moon sell for $2,000–$8,000+ at Sotheby's, Christie's, and Scholten Japanese Art.
Institutional Holdings
Major holdings at the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tokyo National Museum, and the Yoshitoshi Museum (Tokyo).
Dimensions
Sheet approximately 14 × 9.5 inches (standard oban format)
Frame: This piece ships unframed — the sheet or plate only. We can recommend framers in your area or ship to your preferred framer. Professional framing with archival materials typically runs $150–$400 depending on size and finish.
Shipping Terms
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Important Buyer Notice
These pieces are antique originals, ranging from approximately 100 to over 400 years old. Each piece will show varying degrees of age-appropriate condition: paper toning, foxing, edge wear, fold marks, minor restoration, light staining, and other natural signs of age are common and expected for works of this period. Condition varies from piece to piece.
It is the buyer's responsibility to confirm that the piece is in the condition they require before purchase. We are always happy to answer any questions about the state of the work, provide additional photographs of specific areas, describe any flaws or repairs in detail, or arrange a video review before you buy. Please contact us at any time with questions — we believe an informed buyer is the best customer.
All pieces are guaranteed authentic originals (not reproductions, facsimiles, or modern prints). We offer a full refund if authenticity is ever disputed by a qualified third party.